(PH) First dogfighting case to be prosecuted

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Inquirer Opinion/ Columns

By Neal Cruz

Inquirer

11/12/2007

 

A very cruel and sadistic pastime, dogfighting, is increasing in the Philippines

despite the prohibition by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). In these fights, dogs,

often pit bulls, are made to fight in an enclosure, sometimes to the death,

while humans watch and put wagers on them. If the dogs are not killed outright,

they suffer so much injury that they either become incapacitated permanently or

later die of infection. Filipinos keep pit bulls as pets as a status symbol, a

very dangerous mistake, especially with children around, as pit bulls are bred

to attack. They appear docile at times, but you can never tell when their

instinct to attack will suddenly prompt them to attack humans, even their

masters.

 

Local government units, especially barangays, should prevent dogfights in their

jurisdictions but they don’t and this exposes them to charges of dereliction of

duty. It is only the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) that is trying to

have the AWA law enforced. (AWA also prohibits horse-fighting, but this is still

being done during town fiestas in the South without the police, Bureau of Animal

Industry and local government officials doing anything about it.)

 

Last March 31, PAWS and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)

raided a dogfighting arena in sitio Kaysakat, Antipolo City. Fourteen

participants, including three Thai nationals, were arrested; two dogs were

confiscated and taken to the PAWS Animal Rescue Center to be treated for their

injuries and rehabilitated. The Thais slipped out of the country during the Holy

Week holidays. PAWS is pushing for the issuance of arrest warrants for the Thais

and the other participants in the dogfight as only the alleged operator of the

arena (one Danny Tan) as well as a handful of others have warrants of arrest.

 

Since the accused were caught red-handed, the defense tactic is to delay the

case. At the arraignment last Friday, the defense lawyer objected to the

participation of a PAWS lawyer even though existing jurisprudence allows private

lawyers, while under the direction of the government prosecutor, to participate

in trials. The judge should be wary of dilatory tactics, as this is the first

dogfighting case to be prosecuted and will set the example for future cases.

 

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